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761st Black Panther Tank Battalion in World War II: An Illustrated Hsitory of the First African American Armored | 
 enlarge | Authors: Joe Wilson Jr., Julius W. Becton Jr. (foreword), Joseph E. Wilson Sr. (afterword)
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Category: Book
Buy New: $39.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 1583530
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 323
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.7
ISBN: 0786428627
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.5403
EAN: 9780786428625
ASIN: 0786428627
Publication Date: July 18, 2006
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Product Description
This is a comprehensive record of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first African American armored unit to enter combat. Assigned at various times to the Third, Seventh and Ninth armies, the Black Panthers fought major engagements in six European countries and participated in four major Allied campaigns, inflicting 130,000 casualties on the German army and capturing or destroying thousands of weapons, despite severe weather, difficult terrain, heavily fortified enemy positions, extreme shortages of replacement personnel and equipment, and an overall casualty rate approaching 50 percent. Richly illustrated and containing many interviews with surviving members of the 761st, this work gives long overdue recognition to the unit whose motto was Come Out Fighting. It recounts the events that in 197833 years after the end of World War IIled to the 761st Tank Battalions receiving a Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive. Also described are the efforts that resulted, in 199753 years after giving his life on the battlefieldin the Medal of Honor being posthumously awarded to Sergeant Ruben Rivers.
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| Customer Reviews:
Magnificent Portrayal Of America's First African American Tank Unit! May 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Author Joe Wilson Jr. whose father fought with the 761st Black Panther Battalion during World War Two, has written a splendid book about America's first African American tank unit to see combat during the war. During the the beginning of the war, black soldiers were serving their country not on the front lines, but in secondary roles as cooks, laundry and logistics crews, and mail handlers. Out of neccessity, African American soldiers were finally given the chance to fight, and although they fought segregated from White troops, they were at least finally given the chance to prove themselves in battle just like their white counterparts. All too often they were stigmatized as being not smart enough or unable to handle the stress of battle. Air units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Armored units like the 761st tank Battalion proved that the African American soldiers and airmen were more than formidable foes for the enemy. The "Black Panthers", fought in many major engagements across Europe, inflicting as many as 130.000 casualties against the German army. They fought with valor, and suffered a 50% casualty rate, as they punched their way to Berlin, with their M4 Sherman Tanks. In 1978, the whole unit finally received long overdue recognition, as they were awarded the presidential Citation, and Sergeant Ruben Rivers received the Medal Of Honor posthumously for valor on the battlefield. This generously illustrated pictorial history not only brings the reader to the front lines of battle, but draws a vivid picture of the stereotypical discrimination that these young men had to endure on the homefront, before they ever had a chance to fire a shot at an enemy who was threatening the entire world. I highly recommend this book to all who wish to relive the history of some brave American Tankers who gave of themselves and asked for nothing in return. I dedicate this review to the late Dorie Miller USN cook, who without training, manned a deck machine gun on a damaged ship, and destroyed two Japanese Zero's during the Day Of Infamy at Pearl Harbor Dec 7th 1941. He was the first African American of the war to be awarded the Navy Cross for valor by Chester W. Nimitz commanding Admiral USN.
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